Rock Albums of the Year

Rock/Alternative: Albums of the Year, 1990-2023

This page lists those albums which have won: Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album (2006, 2011-2021) Grammys for Rock Album of the Year (1995-2022) Alternative Rock Album of the Year (1991-2022) The years for the Grammys below indicate the year of eligibility rather than the year awarded. Check out other album of the year awards here.

2023: Billboard: Zach Bryan American Heartbreak Grammy – Rock: Paramore This Is Why Grammy – Alternative: Boygenius The Record 2022: Billboard: Twenty One Pilots Scaled and Icy Grammy – Rock: Ozzy Osbourne Patient Number Nine Grammy – Alternative: Wet Leg Wet Leg 2021: Billboard: Machine Gun Kelly Tickets to My Downfall Grammy – Rock: Foo Fighters Medicine at Midnight Grammy – Alternative: St. Vincent Daddy’s Home 2020: Billboard: Tool Fear Inoculum Grammy – Rock: The Strokes The New Abnormal Grammy – Alternative: Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters 2019: Billboard: Panic! At the Disco Pray for the Wicked Grammy – Rock: Cage the Elephant Social Cues Grammy – Alternative: Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride 2018: Billboard: Imagine Dragons Evolve Grammy – Rock: Greta Van Fleet From the Fires Grammy – Alternative: Beck Colors 2017: Billboard: Metallica Hardwired…to Self Destruct Grammy – Rock: The War on Drugs A Deeper Understanding Grammy – Alternative: The National Sleep Well Beast 2016: Billboard: Twenty One Pilots Blurryface Grammy – Rock: Cage the Elephant Tell Me I’m Pretty Grammy – Alternative: David Bowie Blackstar 2015: Billboard: Coldplay Ghost Stories Grammy – Rock: Muse Drones Grammy – Alternative: Alabama Shakes Sound & Color 2014: Billboard: Imagine Dragons Night Visions Grammy – Rock: Beck Morning Phase Grammy – Alternative: St. Vincent St. Vincent 2013: Billboard: Mumford & Sons Babel Grammy – Rock: Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Grammy – Alternative: Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City 2012: Billboard: Coldplay Mylo Xyloto Grammy – Rock: The Black Keys El Camino Grammy – Alternative: Gotye Making Mirrors 2011: Billboard: Mumford & Sons Sigh No More Grammy – Rock: Foo Fighters Wasting Light Grammy – Alternative: Bon Iver Bon Iver 2010: Grammy – Rock: Muse The Resistance Grammy – Alternative: The Black Keys Brothers 2009: Grammy – Rock: Green Day 21st Century Breakdown Grammy – Alternative: Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix 2008: Grammy – Rock: Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends Grammy – Alternative: Radiohead In Rainbows 2007: Grammy – Rock: Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace Grammy – Alternative: The White Stripes Icky Thump 2006: Billboard: Nickelback All the Right Reasons Grammy – Rock: Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium Grammy – Alternative: Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere 2005: Grammy – Rock: U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Grammy – Alternative: The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan 2004: Grammy – Rock: Green Day American Idiot Grammy – Alternative: Wilco A Ghost Is Born 2003: Grammy – Rock: Foo Fighters One by One Grammy – Alternative: The White Stripes Elephant 2002: Grammy – Rock: Bruce Springsteen The Rising Grammy – Alternative: Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 2001: Grammy – Rock: U2 All That You Can’t Leave Behind Grammy – Alternative: Coldplay Parachutes 2000: Grammy – Rock: Foo Fighters There Is Nothing Left to Lose Grammy – Alternative: Radiohead Kid A 1999: Grammy – Rock: Santana Supernatural Grammy – Alternative: Beck Mutations 1998: Grammy – Rock: Sheryl Crow The Globe Sessions Grammy – Alternative: Beastie Boys Hello Nasty 1997: Grammy – Rock: John Fogerty Blue Moon Swamp Grammy – Alternative: Radiohead OK Computer 1996: Grammy – Rock: Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow Grammy – Alternative: Beck Odelay 1995: Grammy – Rock: Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill Grammy – Alternative: Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York 1994: Grammy – Rock: The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Grammy – Alternative: Green Day Dookie 1993: Grammy – Alternative: U2 Zooropa 1992: Grammy – Alternative: Tom Waits Bone Machine 1991: Grammy – Alternative: R.E.M. Out of Time 1990: Grammy – Alternative: Sinéad O’Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” Dave’s Music Database: “Adult Alternative Albums: The Top 100” Dave’s Music Database: “Alternative Rock Albums: The Top 100” Dave’s Music Database: “Classic Rock Albums: The Top 100” Dave’s Music Database: “Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Albums: The Top 50” Dave’s Music Database: “Progressive Rock Albums: The Top 50” Dave’s Music Database: “Psychedelic Rock Albums: The Top 50” Dave’s Music Database: “Punk Rock Albums: The Top 50” Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album Grammys (official site) Grammy: Best Rock Album Grammy: Alternative Rock Album First posted 5/1/2022; last updated 2/4/2024.

New Musical Express: Albums of the Year, 1963-2022

New Musical Express: Albums of the Year, 1963-2022

This UK music magazine started as a newspaper in 1952, known for publishing the initial British singles charts. It ceased print publication in January 2018, but still maintains a website. They have published annual album-of-the-year lists since 1974. This list also factors in pre-1974 album-of-the-year awards based on appearances on best-of-all-time lists from NME. Check out other album of the year awards here. 2022: Arctic Monkeys The Car 2021: Sam Fender Seventeen Going Under 2020: Run the Jewels Run the Jewels 4 2019: Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? 2018: The 1975 A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships 2017: Lorde Melodrama 2016: The 1975 I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It 2015: Grimes Art Angels 2014: St. Vincent St. Vincent 2013: Arctic Monkeys AM 2012: Crystal Castles Crystal Castles III 2011: PJ Harvey Let England Shake 2010: These New Puritans Hidden 2009: The Horrors Primary Colours 2008: MGMT Oracular Spectacular 2007: Klaxons Myths of the Near Future 2006: Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not 2005: Bloc Party Silent Alarm 2004: Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand 2003: The White Stripes Elephant 2002: Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 2001: The Strokes Is This It 2000: Queens of the Stone Age Rated R 1999: The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin 1998: Mercury Rev Deserter’s Songs 1997: Spiritualized Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space 1996: Beck Odelay 1995: Tricky Maxinquaye 1994: Oasis Definitely Maybe 1993: Björk Debut 1992: Sugar Copper Blue 1991: Nirvana Nevermind 1990: Happy Mondays Pills ‘N’ Thrills and Bellyaches 1989: De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising 1988: Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1987: Public Enemy Yo! Bum Rush the Show 1986: Prince & the Revolution Parade 1985: Tom Waits Rain Dogs 1984: Bobby Womack The Poet II 1983: Elvis Costello Punch the Clock 1982: Marvin Gaye Midnight Love 1981: Grace Jones Nightclubbing 1980: Joy Division Closer 1979: Talking Heads Fear of Music 1978: Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town 1977: David Bowie Heroes 1976: Bob Dylan Desire 1975: Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks 1974: Steely Dan Pretzel Logic 1973: Roxy Music For Your Pleasure 1972: The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street 1971: David Bowie Hunky Dory 1970: John Lennon Plastic Ono Band 1969: The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed 1968: The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) 1967: The Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico 1966: The Beatles Revolver 1965: The Beatles Rubber Soul 1964: The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night 1963: Bob Dylan The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Resources and Related Links: NME.com (New Musical Express official site) RockListMusic.co.uk: “NME Albums of the Year and End of Year Critic Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100+ Albums” (all-time list) Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” First posted 12/30/2020; last updated 12/9/2022.

2014: Top 25 Albums

First posted 12/31/2014; updated 1/8/2021.

Dave’s Music Database: Top Albums of 2014

Based on a combination of year-end lists (see resources at bottom of page) and overall status in Dave’s Music Database, these are the top 25 albums of 2014. Be sure to also check out the DMDB post of the top 50 songs of 2014. Taylor Swift 1989 D’Angelo Black Messiah Ed Sheeran X (Multiply) Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream U2 Songs of Innocence Beck Morning Phase St. Vincent St. Vincent Miranda Lambert Platinum Run the Jewels Run the Jewels 2 FKA Twigs LP1 Lana Del Rey Ultraviolence The Black Keys Turn Blue Aphex Twin Syro Sturgill Simpson Metamodern Sounds in Country Music Sam Hunt Montevallo Bruce Springsteen High Hopes Eric Church The Outsiders Jack White Lazaretto J. Cole 2014 Forest Hills Drive Pharrell Williams Girl Spoon They Want My Soul Nicki Minaj The Pinkprint Ariana Grande My Everything Maroon 5 V Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” Album of the Year All Music Guide Amazon American Songwriter AV Club BBC Best Ever Albums Billboard (charts) Billboard (critics) Bleep Clash Consequence of Sound Daily Beast Entertainment Weekly Guardian (critics’ picks) Guardian (readers’ picks) Huffington Post Metacritic Mojo Newsweek New Musical Express (NME) New York Times NPR Paste Magazine Pitchfork Pop Crush Pretty Much Amazing Q Magazine Rate Your Music Rolling Stone Rolling Stone (pop albums) Slant Magazine Spin Sputnik Music Taste of Country Telegraph Time Timeout UK Official Charts Uncut XFM

2011: Top 25 Albums

First posted 12/31/2011; updated 1/8/2021.

Dave’s Music Database: Top Albums of 2011

Based on a combination of year-end lists (see sources at bottom of page) and overall status in Dave’s Music Database, these are the top 25 albums of 2011: Adele 21 Drake Take Care PJ Harvey Let England Shake Lady Gaga Born This Way Michael Bublé Christmas Bon Iver Bon Iver Jason Aldean My Kinda Party Florence + the Machine Ceremonials St. Vincent Strange Mercy Jay-Z & Kanye West Watch the Throne Ed Sheeran Plus (+) Eric Church Chief Foo Fighters Wasting Light Beyoncé 4 Coldplay Mylo Xyloto The Black Keys El Camino James Blake James Blake Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues Arctic Monkeys Suck It and See The Decemberists The King Is Dead Frank Ocean Nostalgia, Ultra Trey Parker & Matt Stone with Robert Lopez (composers) The Book of Mormon cast album Rihanna Talk That Talk One Direction Up All Night Radiohead The King of Limbs Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” About.com AlbumOfTheYear.org All Music Guide Amazon.com American Songwriter AV Club BBC Music Writers BestEverAlbums.com Bigger Than Sound Billboard Billboard (critics’ picks) Clash Fact Filter The Fly Guardian Idolator iTunes Mojo NME Paste Magazine PopBlerd.com PopMatters.com Q magazine Rolling Stone Rough Trade Spectrum Culture Spin magazine Spinner.com Uncut magazine